Conn. Power Plant Blast Death Toll Climbs to 5

The natural gas explosion that destroyed a Connecticut power plant today killed at least 5 people and injured at least 14, officials said. Police dogs are searching the rubble of the Kleen Energy Systems plant, where about 50 people—not 100, the initial figure—were working, the Hartford Courant reports. "It was a massive explosion," a fire official said of the blast, which damaged the foundations of nearby homes and caused some residents to fear an earthquake had struck.

"Our first concern is to help in locating and providing care for anyone who may have been injured in the explosion," a state official told the Middletown Press. "After that critical mission is accomplished there will be time to assess and address any environmental impacts associated with this tragic event."
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